Method of and arrangement for repeating the reproduced text in automatic telephonographs



Jan. 9, 1951 M. HANDSCHIN ET AL 2,537,406

METHOD OF AND ARRANGEMENT FOR REPEATING THE REPRODUCED TEXT IN AUTOMATIC TELEPHONOGRAPI-IS Filed July 15, 1947 MAX HA/vDsc/w/v q KURT WAGNER A T R/151':

Patented Jan. 9, 19 51 r METHOD OF AND ARRANGEMENT FOR RE- PEATING THE REPRODUCED TEXT IN AUTOMATIC TELEPHONOGRAPHS Max Handschin, KuSnacht Zuri'ch, and Kurt Wagner, Zurich, Switzerland, assignors to Daphne Investment Trust, Vaduz, Principality of Liechtenstein, a com of Liechtenstein pany of the Principality Application July 15, 1947, Serial No. 761,012

- In Switzerland March 7, 1947 4 Claims. (01. 179-6) In automatic telephonographs, the recorded text of which can be listened to over a telephone line, it is desirable that any passages of the text which have not been understood during the reproduction may be immediately repeated'by the telephonograph. For this purpose, the sound recording and reproducing arrangement of the telephonograph must be so constructed and arranged that during the reproduction the record may be returned the desired amount at any momentby remote control over the telephone line so that upon the subsequent forward movement of the record the listener may again listen to those portions of the record which he did not understand.

"In the known telephonographs, the'disadvantage exists that if the calling subscriber does not understand the reproduction he must again listen by reproducing the entire text, including that which he has understood, which involves an unduly long use of the telephone line, waste of time and expense.

' The present invention relates to means of which it is possible for the text recorded on automatic telephonographs to be repeated any number or times during the reproduction, and an arrangement for carrying out the method. e

In accordance with this invention the listening subscriber transmits to the telephone circuit a vocal sound and the electric current impulses produced by this vocal sound are fed. at the telephonograph to a filter which passes the current impulses which constitute at least one character-- istic component of the vocalsound, and these current impulses which are thus filtered out are then employed to actuate means efiecting the return of the text-reproducing arrangement.

The arrangement for carrying outthe method is characterized by a valve amplifier, afilter passing at'le ast the current impulses constituting one component of a vocal sound, a rectifier for rectifying the filtered-out current impulses and a relay actuated by the filtered-out current impulses and efiecting the return of the text reproducing arrangement. l

nected to the telephone circuit may beconnected in series in various ways. For example, the filterand the rectifier can be conneotedbetween the ampl fier and the relay, or the orderofsuccession may be filter, amplifier, rectifier, relay. Inthe' former-case, the rectifier is preferablyinductivelycbupled-to' the. filter; for. :the purpose of correct adapfialiiiflnii 31-" J .rdm'i oiembodiment of the invention is more fully illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows only those parts of the telephonograph which are important to the understanding of the invention.

In the drawing, TI is the telephone circuit or the subscriber speaking over the telephone circuit, Ue25 is a transformer, Ne? a power supply main and M6 a motor driving the text-reproducing arrangement. The latter consists of a steel tape Tol3 with the associated rollers and the sound head SplZ. A cam disc N816 actuating the contact. l8 with the cams Ni 7 is coupled to the mech anism of the text-reproducing mechanism with considerable reduction. The motor is coupled with the mechanism of the text-reproducing ar-' rangement' by the magnetic couplings RkM and Vkl5, the magnetic Coupling Visit beingprovided for forward movement and the coupling Ric for rearward movement. The two directions of rotation of the text-reproducing mechanism are indicated by the arrows H and ID. ,The amplifica tion of the voltage produced by the sound head. 85012 is eifected by the amplifier AVB, while the relays H3, H2 and N5 serve to set the text-reproducing arrangement in operation. The actual.

repeater comprises the amplifier FV9, the filter. E528 with the rectifier connected thereto and the relay RLZl' which controls the energization of the magnetic couplings RkM and Vlcl5.

The'contacts actuated by the individual relay cores areeach shown in alinement with the extended axis of the respective relay cores. The negative andpositive signs. in the drawing represent the negative and positive poles of the source.

of current fromv which the relays and the mag is The individual parts of the arrangement cone net'ic coupl ngs are fed. In the following description of the operation ofthe arrangement, the positive pole of the source of current is considered as'being' grounded and is designated throughout as earth and the negative pole as negative. The arrangement operatesas follows: When the subscriber Tl 'calls the telephonograph. through the telephone circuit, the relay R3 is energized by the calling current which energizes the circuit: r r (1) Subscriber TI, contact I 9, relayRS, condenser K04, contact 20 and back to the subscriber TI.- I

' By the energization of relay R3, relay- I-I2 is energised by the circuit:

,-;.2)-'Earth, contact 24, relay H2, negative. The. relayl-Hismaintained energized by the cam con-. tactjjfi' assuming, that thejs oun'd carrier Tot-31s alreadyzswitche'd to text-reproduction. For'ltlie.

3 holding of the relay H2 the following circuit is closed:

(3) Earth,.contact I8, contact 22, holding coil of relay H2, negative.

By the energization of relay 1-12, the subscriber in the first place is connected to the transformer.

Ue25, and in addition the contact 2i actuates the mains relay N5, which closesits contact: Island. connects the motor M8 to the power supply main- Ne'l. The following circuits are closed:

(4) Earth, contact 2 I, relay N5, negative.

(5) Supply main Ne'l, contact 29, motor. Mi.-

main Ne'l.

By the closing of the contact 23, the followingcircuit is closed for the energization of the forward coupling Vkl5:

(6) Contact 23, contact 26, Vkl5, negative.

In this way, the sound carrier and with it the cam disc NSlt coupled thereto is set-in motion in the direction of the arrow H. The subscriber Tl then hears the text recorded on the sound carrier, through the circuit:

(7) Subscriber Tl, contact l9, transformer U225, amplifier AVB, sound headSpl2 and'back' to. the. amplifier AVB, transformer Ue25, contact 20; subscriber T1 If the subscriber Tl has. failed to understand:

a certain word or a certain sentence, he isableaccording to the present invention to initiate a;

50:0811811 remote repetition by speakinga: vocal sound, for-example a. J, into the microphone:

The means'for'producing the remote repetition consist; of the amplifier'FVQ- and a filter. F128.

tuned. to at least one characteristic component.

(harmonic) of the-vocal sound.

It is knownthatin the vocal sounds of the human. voice the timbreand consequently; the

characteristic harmonics (components) of the. vocal sound always he approximately at the same point. of the frequency spectrum independently; otthe. height of the basic tone. and oi.the.per-

son. speaking. The inventionutilises this phe nomenon in that therharmonics which only occur witheone vocalsoundlare filtered. out by a filter. If,.for example, the subscriber Tl pronouncesa longer J, the filter. Fi28.is thereby energised and.

the. secondary winding coupled therewith. feedsarectifier. The direct current produced'by this. rectifier actuates in the known. manner a highly sensitive relay RLZT." This relay has. retarded attraction, whereby the possibility is avoided that words comprising shorter vocal sounds.

which are emitted by the sound carrier T013 will influence the relay RLZ'E; if, however, the subscriber T! emits the vocal sound J'selected' forour example, the following circuitfor actuat ing the-relay RLZ! is energized:

(8)" Subscriber Tl, contact 19, transformer Ue25; filter amplifier FVS, filter'FiZS and'return" to' filter am fier VS, transformerUeZli, con tact 2B, subscriber'Il.

The c rrent impulses inducedin the secondary coil inthe'filter F228 are rectified by the rectifier forming a part of the filter and produce a direct current of sufficient magnitude toienergize thethe forward couplingVK-I 5 and;the:engagen'rent: ofithe: rearward. coupiingrRKi 4;.the.=. sound: car- 75* sound rier T013 is moved rearwardly in the direction of the arrow l0. During this rearward movement. of the sound carrier. the. following circuit containing; the Winding? of tliecoupling RKM is closed:

- 9) Earth, contact 23, contact 25, coupling RKM, minus.

Theabovecircuit (8) becomes deenergized when the subscribed discontinues to sound the vocal J into his microphone and the relay RLZI, after the expiration of the time determining its delayedaction; drops its armature, with the result thatpthe contact 25 automatically opens the circuit for" the= rearward coupling RKM and closes thecircuit for the forward coupling VKIS, thereby reestablishing the circuit (5) and causingagain aforward movement of the sound carrier .TIS.

lt'isbelieved obvious from the above that the subscriber is able to repeat this rearward movement of' thesoundz carrier as-often as he desires by merely sounding the vocalJ. into his microphone.

tithe end ofthe. reproduction of the sound OXlRthBFSOHDd. carrier the cam-disc N586, which as stated previously'is coupled by a reduction gearorr'the' like with sound carrier T i 5; opens the-contact 1.8; This action opens the holding circuit (3.). of'the relay H2 and the. armature of 'the' lat--- ter. drops andthereby the'previously mentioned on said sound carrier and transmits it to said.

telephone subscriber, means causinga rearward. movement of said sound carrier. including a filter circuit with. a filter, alrectifier, andv means in.- cludinga relay operated. by. the rectifiedcurrent impulses having passed. throughsaid filter, means. connecting-saidfilter. circuitto said circuit means andiwhereby said filter circuitis adaptedto. pass: solely electric. currentimpulses which areproduced by apredetermined component of' avocal. sound transmitted. by the remote telephone sub=- scriberQto said telephone circuit, and. meansop;- erated by saidrela-y when energized by saidrectifiedgelectric current impulses to cause said;

driving means to discontinue the forwardimoveement ofsaid soundcarrier and to'cause said? driving. means. tomove" said sound carrier rearwardly: as long' asv said. relay remains== energized; and means whereby said relay -upon deenergisa tion reestablishes said forward movement ofsaid" sound: carrier bysaid driving means;

2;: 1111a? soundreproducing' system, a telephono graphgincluding amagnetic sound carrier; an' electric motor, two electromagnetic couplings, means: for-selectively connecting said motor drivingly with saidsoundxcarrier', whereby one; of saidc,: coup1ings drives said sound carrier in a" forward direction-and? thei other coupling: drivessaid "Y's und' carrier ina rearward direenoma. ead iicooperatingrwith said soundicarrier,

and circuit means connecting said sound head with a telephone circuit leading to a remotely arranged telephone subscriber, means operated by the calling current in said telephone circuit for causing said electric motor to operate and the coupling for the forward drive of said sound carrier to be energized, a filter circuit including means connecting the same to said circuit means, said filter circuits being constructed to pass electric current impulses which are produced by at least one characteristic component of a vocal sound transmitted by the telephone subscriber to the telephone circuit, a relay energisable by said electric current impulses, and a contact device controlled by said relay for causing upon energisation of said relay a deenergization of the coupling for the forward drive of said sound carrier and an energization and engagement of the coupling for the rearward drive of said sound carrier, and means including said contact device for reestablishing an engagement of said forward drive coupling upon discontinuance of said electric current impulses produced by said vocal sound and having passed said filter.

3. In a sound reproducing system, a telephonograph including a magnetic sound carrier, an electric motor and two couplings, means for selectively connecting said motor with said sound carrier, whereby one of said couplings drives said sound carrier in a forward direction and the other one drives said sound carrier in a rearward direction, a sound head cooperating with said sound carrier, and circuit means connecting said sound head with a telephone circuit leading to a remotely positioned telephone subscriber,

means operated by the calling current in said telephone circuit for causing said electric motor to be set in operation and causing the coupling for the forward drive of the sound carrier to engage, and means causing a rearward movement of said sound carrier including a filter circuit connected to said circuit means and comprising a valve amplifier, a filter, a rectifier and a relay operated by the rectified current impulses, said filter circuit being constructed to pass solely electric current impulses which are produced by a predetermined component of a vocal sound transmitted by the telephone subscriber to the teleauamoe phone circuit, and means operated by said relay when energized by said rectified electric current impulses for disengaging said coupling for the forward movement of said sound carrier and for engaging the coupling for the rearward move-- ment of the same, said last named means reestablishing an engagement of said forward drive coupling upon deenergisation of said relay.

l-.The combination with an automatic telephonograph provided with means for reproducing a text recorded on a sound record, and means for selectively moving said sound record in a forward and rearward direction, of means for repeating an part'of said recorded text, said last named means including a telephone circuit adapted to transmit the recorded text to any listener connectable with said telephonograph, and a repeater circuit connected to said telephone circuit, said repeater circuit comprising a valve amplifier, a filter and a rectifier, means whereby said circuit is responsive at any time during the reproduction of the recorded text to a vocal sound which when produced by the listener and fed into said telephone circuit is amplied and fed into said filter which passes a predetermined portion of the electric current impulses produced by said vocal sound to said rectifier, and means including a relay actuated by the rectified current, said relay when actuated acting.

on said record moving means and causing said sound record to be moved backward and when no longer actuated causing said record moving means to move said sound record forward again for repeated production of the desired portion of the recorded text.

MAX HANDSCHIN.

KURT WAGNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,7,65,4'71 Wemsley; June 24, 1900 2,200,351 Whitehead et a1. May 14, 1940 2,329,107 Clausen Sept. '7, 1943 2,333,235 Clausen Nov. 2, 1943 

